Table



Feb. 14, 1961 w. M. SHOFFNER 2,971,651

TABLE 2 Sheets-sheaf].

Filed April 50, 1958 1 A \S I P 30 1 F 4 I 3O 29 ZNVENTOR. 27 35 35 WILLIE M. SHOFFNER ATTQRN EYS Feb. 14, 1961 w. M. SHOFFNER 2,971,551

TABLE Filed April 30, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 ZNVENTOR. WiLLiE M. SHOFFNER BY wwmyw ATTORNEYS United States Patent I H 2,911,651 TABLE Willie M. Shotfner, Dayton, Ohio, assignor'to The Fogarty Manufacturing Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Apr. '30, 1959, Ser. No. 810,161

'8 Claims. (Cl. 211-16) This invention pertains to tables and more particularly to produce display tables.

Display tables for produce, for use in grocery stores and the like, should support the produce in a manner which is readily accessible to the customer and to the clerks. In many instances, it is-desirable that the display table be rotatablefor attracting attention to the product and for making all of the merchandise accessible at any position about the table. a V

, Tables for the display of fresh fruits and vegetables are commonly called dump tables by reason of the practice of dumping the produce from a basket or a bag onto the surface of a table. Accordingly, a rotatable table for this service must have strength to withstand the stress of uneven loading and still be able to turnsmoothlywithout dips or hesitation. At the same time, it is important that the table be inexpensive and light in weight.

These desirable characteristics and others are provided by the table of this invention which utilizes components of stressed sheet material for combining strength and light weight. A generally circular upper plate of sheet material is fixed in stressed relation to an inverted frustoconical lower plate 'by a spacer" extending between the plates. The upper plate is provided with an elevated central portion relative to its periphery, thereby providing a downward slope from the center of the table to the tables edge. This slope enables produce, such as potatoes, to roll to the outside as the table is emptied, to provide for the continued accessibility-of the displayed produce. The table includes a circumferential retaining rim fixed at the plates for additional strength and for the retention of produce at the periphery of the table. The spacer, which provides for the stressed relation of the upper plate, also. includes .bearings through which' the. table is, mounted for rotation on a supporting base post. I V copending application of Willie M. Shofiner, Serial No. 810,162, filedconcurrently herewith and assigned to the same assignee as this application.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a rotatable table as outlined above characterized by light weight and an ability to support unevenly distributed loads.

Another object of this inventionis to provide a table as outlined above having a supportingsurface made of sheet material with a stressed elevatedcenter.

A further object of this invention is to provide a table as outlined above wherein an upper plate of sheet material is fixed instressed relation to a lower'plate of. sheet material to provide a downward slope from the center of the upper plate to its'periphery. Preferably, acircumferential retaining rim is fixed at the plates with at least] A non-rotating display table is disclosed in the- 2,971,651 Patented Feb. 14, 1961 for the rotational support of the plates on a supporting Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the table of this invert-- tion;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the table showing the details of construction;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragment of a portion of Fig. 2 showing the sealing arrangement of the table top at the: retaining rim;

Fig. 4 is another enlarged fragment of Fig. 2 showing: the arrangement for rotatably mounting the table on av supporting base post;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view through the shelf sup-- porting standard and the shelf carried on the standard;-

Figs. 6 and 7 are sections through the supporting stand-- ard taken generally along lines 6-6 and 77, respec-- tively, of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the banana tree;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the motor drive assembly; and

Fig. 10 is a section through the motor drive clutcha's-- sembly.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, and particularly to Fig. 1,. the 'table is shown as including a rotatable main body" 20 upon which is mounted a supporting standard 21 for the support of shelving in spaced relation to the body 20; A circular shelf 22 is mounted on the standard 21 in spaced relation to the body 20 and a banana tree 23 is mounted on a tube 24 which is, in turn, inserted into the top of the standard 21. Removable dividers'27 are provided for partitioning the produce, as desired, on the body 20. A relatively fixed non-supporting decorative skirt 28 is bolted by angle braces 29 to the three legs 30 of a tripod table support 31, Fig. 2., The support 31 includes a centrally fixed upstanding post 34 connected to the legs 30 by braces 35 and upon which the body 20- is rotatably mounted. The support 31 and the post 34 form a base for rotatably supporting the body 2t).

The body 20 includes a generally circular upper plate 36 of sheet material, such as stainless steel, forming the top ofthe table and having a circumferential turned down lip 37 at the periphery thereof. A centrally dis posed reinforcing member 38 is welded tothe bottom of the upper plate 26. The body 20 further includes a generally frustoconical lower supporting plate 40 of sheet material circumferentially secured to the lower side of the upper plate 36 by welding adjacent the lip 37.

The body 29 alsoincludes means providing for the stressed elevation of the center of the upper plate'36-- in relation to its periphery including a tubular spacer 42 extending axially from the underside of the plate 36,

a portion of th ewall extending above the upper plate.

'Astill further object of; this invention is to provide a rotatable dump tablefor produce as outlined above having uppenand lower-platesfixed in spaced relation by a V tubular. spacer whichyalso provides {beari g assemb y.

. ,may be employed at the. junction of the dip-'37 audyt hef at the member 38, to the smaller end 43 of the lower plate '40. The upper end of the spacer 42 is welded at 44 to the member 38, as shown in Fig. 4. The smaller end 43 of the lower plate 40 is secured as by welding at 45 to-the spacer 42 in spaced relation with the upper plate 36fto 'effectthe stressed elevation of the center of theupper plate-36 in relation to its periphery. a

' Wall means for the body 20 is provided by an annular rim 48 fixed to the upper plate 36 at the lip 37. At least a portion of the rim 48 is arranged to extend above the-upper plate 36.fo'r the retention of produce on the top of the table. I It is desirable that the rim 4815c fixed in sealing relation to the lip 37 in case the table is used forthe display of ice or water-spray cooled produce.- For i this purpose, a suitableg'metaleto-metal "sealing compound a the copending application of Shofiner, Serial No. 651,492,

rim 48 as a precaution against leakage. To assist in the sealing of the rim 48 at the lip 37, and to provide protection'for produce and personnel against accident or injury, an extruded elastomeric guard 50 is provided as shown in'Fig. 3. The guard 50 includes a generally cylin- 5 drical upper portion 51 partially notched to slide down over theupper edge of the rim 48. The guard 50-provides a depending wall 52 which lines the portion of the inside of the rim 48 extending above the lip 37. The wall 52 is terminated in a thickened foot portion 54 which is adhesively secured to the upper surface of the plate 36.

The body 20 includes drain means in the plates 36 and 40 adjacent the rim 48 for removing accumulated water from the top when used as a wet table. A drain opening 55 is formed near the rim 48 in the upperplate 36 and a short section of pipe 56 is welded to the bottom surface of the plate 36 at the drain opening 55 prior to the assembly of-the plates 36 and 40. A hand valve 57 has a drain section 58of pipe attached thereto and is threaded on the lower end of the pipe 56 as a meansby which the table surface may be drained of accumulated water.

Means for rotatably mounting the body 200i the table onv the supporting post 34 includes the tubular spacer 42 and a pair of tapered roller bearings 60 and 61'within the spacer. The bearings 60 and 61 have their inner races mounted on a tubular bearing support 62 and are held in a spaced apart relation on the support 62 by a bearing spacer 63 fitted over the support 62 between the bearings and secured to the support by a set screw 64. The outer races of the bearings 60, 61 each engage one of a pair .30 of spaced apart cones 65 and 66 which are fitted within the spacer 42. The bearing support 62 is axially extended below the body 20 and is telescopically interfitted within the. post 34. The support 62 is secured tothe post 34 by set screws 68. The 11PP ?1' bearing 60-is held in place againstthe cone 65 by the weight of the tabletransmitted through bearing spacer 63. Thelower cone, 66. is held against the lower bearing 61 by an annular plate 70, fitted over the support 62 withinthe spacer 42. The'plate 70 is adjustably positioned and held within-the spacer 42 by set screws 72extendedthrough the spacer 42 into the plate. Grease may be packed into thespace between 'the bearings 60, 61 and the spacer 42 at the time of assembly for long trouble-free life.

Means for mounting the standard 21 for rotation with the body 20 include a generally hexagonal plate 75 centrally-fixed on the top surface of the upper plate 36 by a plurality of bolts 76 extended through forengagement within the member 38. The plate 75 includes a central opening 77 through which the bottom of the standard 21 is extended and to which the standard is welded. A generally conical sheet metal covering shroud 78is fitted on the standard 21 over the plate 75. The circular shelf'22 may be'of the type describedin:

filed. April 8, 1957, now 11.8. Patent No. 2,915,194,

. granted-December .1, 1959,;and assigned to-the assigne of this invention. The shelf 22 includes amounting tube 80 with a slitted lower end 81 foraxially positioning the shelf 22 on the standard 21. A' pluralityof generally. triangularly shaped support arms 82 are welded to the. tube in extended relation for the supplort of a circular; sheetmetalplate '83 on the upper edges thereof. The; plate 83 hasa-turned down peripheral edge;84 to which 7 7 an annular retaining ring 85 is mounted. co 'npression, collar 86 is fitted over the end Slandincludes anadjustingbolt 88 by meansof which the; tube 80 may be l pedfon the standard 21 f V at the bananatree tube 24 and flattened at outer endsfng" 3 f A painofqconcentricmings 93 and; 9.4.are. mounted to the "top'fsurface of the;flat tened ends 92.. r Therings 93'fand 94 1 canwtamlurality of joutwardlge extendinglinwardlyiurned l was t'olwhichibunchesofgbana'nas or'otherproduee ql may be attached for display. The tree 23 is vertically adjustable on the standard 21 by means of a collar 96 and set screw 97 which maybe positioned, as desired, along the length of the tube 24 for abutment against the top of the standard 21.

Preferably, drive means are provided for turning the table body 20 at a slow rate, such as one r.p.m., for the rotational display of the produce carried thereon. For this purpose, a drive motor 100 is pivotally supported on a pair of 'extended motor support'arms-102. Thearms 102 have their inner ends welded at'op'posite sides ofthe supporting base post 34, as shown in Fig. 9. The motor 100 includes a mounting plate 103 which is ,pivotally mounted between the arms 102on a rubber bushing assembly 104. The motor-100 drives a rubber rimmed pulley 106 through reduction gearing 107 and a clutch assembly 108. The pulley 106 is held in frictional driving contact with the bottom of the lower plate 40 by a tension spring '109 extended between the plate 103 and one of the legs 30 of the tripod support 31. A turn buckle 110 may be employed between the spring 109'and the leg 30 for adjusting the force of frictional contact between the pulley 106 and the plate 40.

The table of this invention may bestopped, or moved in either direction, as for loading, without danger of damage to the motor 100 or the reduction gearing 107.

It has been found thatthe coetlicient offi iction between thepulley 106 and theplate 40 does not remain consistent, 'and the pulley 106 cannot be depended uponto slip upon the forceful movement ofthe body 20 without damagefto the gearing 107. Accordingly,[a clutch as-. sembly 108,[Fig., 10, is providedas .an adjustable means for ,fixing the point at which the pulley will'slip relative to the gearing 107. v 7 V The assembly 108consists of a machine bolt 112'which has been axially bored for attachment on anj output" shaft 1137of-the reductiongearing 107 by a setjscrew 114.

The pulley 106is mounted on'the bolt 112 between a pair.

of Bakelite washers 115. An ordinary steel washer 116 backs up the 'Bakelitewasher' jon"theinside, anda spring or Belleville washer 118. backs up the Bakelite washer-115on'the other side. A ,secondwsteel washer 119 is positioned against the spring 118,and an adjusting nut 120. is threaded onto the bolt llzjagainst the washer 119. By adjusting the nut 120 against the washer 119,

the spring washer 118 may be adjustably compressed,

against thecombination of the pulley 10 6 andfthe Bakelite washers 115 for adjusting thepoint at which the wash! 1 ers 115 'willslip jon the pulley 2106." The nut 120 includes, a set screw-121 for 'locking the nut on thebolt 112 afteradjustmentrv I The operation of.the"inventionis genefallyrapparent from the preceding description. 5 Theltable, ,bein g relativelylight in weight, may;easily be moved wherever 5 desired; .and loaded. .The,;stressed upper plate 36-pro- 'vides a table top of great strength, andthe unevenload- I I ing 0f produce ,-will have no;noticeableetfectiomthetrueness with whichithe body 20-turns.- Power'mayI-beaap. plied to. the motor .100 to cause the'r'otation of. the body. 20 and, the displayed produce on the table top "and. -on

the shelf 22iand'tree 23; The slope in'the' plate =36 which .is caused-by-the stressed'elevation 'Ofitseenter inrelation:

to its periphery assists in causing-looseproduce, such as v dry onions ar-potatoes, to roll' to.th'e periphery as the table is emptiedkf when icelcoolingfis employed,*the ac-' cumulated water' may be. tapped 'frorn time to time at a the valve 57-as desired :The'spacedrelation of theshelf 22 to the' body' 20 may be adjusted; desiredfby the 0 collar 86, l and 3 similarly, the extended' 'height; of the-tree 23 in the standard 21 may beadju'sted-by-the collar 96; While the formofiappa'ratu's herein described constitutes a"preferred embodiment ofthe invention, it isto be understood that'. the invention visf-not liniitedto this precise-form of apparatus and that 'ch'anges naybemaae therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A produce table comprising a support base, an upper plate of sheet material forming the top of said table, a generally frustoconical lower supporting plate of sheet metal circumferentially secured to the lower side of said upper plate adjacent the periphery of said upper plate, a spacer mounted on said base for the support of said plates and extending axially from the underside of said upper plate to said lower plate, means securing the smaller end of said lower plate to said spacer in spaced relation with said upper plate causing said spacer to eflect stressed elevation of the center of said upper plate in relation to its periphery, and wall means fixed in circumferential relation to said upper plate to provide for the retention of produce on said table.

2. A rotatable produce table comprising a support base, a generally circular upper plate of sheet material forming the top of said table, a generally frustoconical lower supporting plate of sheet metal circumferentially secured to the lower side of said upper plate adjacent the periphcry of said upper plate, a spacer rotatably mounted on said base for the support of said plates and extending axially from the underside of said upper plate to said lower plate, means securing the smaller end of said lower plate to said spacer in spaced relation with said upper plate causing said spacer to efiect stressed elevation of the center of said upper plate in relation to its periphery, and a rim fixed in circumferential relation to said upper plate with at least a portion thereof extending above said top to provide for the retention of produce on said table.

3. A produce table comprising, a generally circular upper plate of sheet material forming the top of said table and having a circumferential turned down lip at the periphery thereof, a generally frustoconical lower supporting plate of sheet metal circumferentially secured to the lower side of said upper plate adjacent said lip, a tubular spacer extending axially from the underside of said upper plate to said lower plate, means securing the smaller end of said lower plate to said spacer in spaced relation with said upper plate causing said spacer to efiect stressed elevation of the center of said upper plate in relation to its periphery, an annular rim fixed to said upper plate at said lip with at least a portion thereof extending above said upper plate to provide for the retention of produce on said table a supporting post, means including said spacer for rotatably mounting said table on said post, and support means including legs for supporting said post in upstanding relation.

4. A wet table adapted for the support and display Y of iced fresh produce comprising a supp rt, base, a generally circular upper plate of sheet material forming the top of said table and having a circumferential lip at the periphery thereof, a generally frustoconical lower'supporting plate of sheet metal circumferentially secured to the lower side of said upper plate adjacent said lip, a spacer mounted on saidbase for the support of said plates and extending axially from the underside of said upper plate to said lower plate, means securing the smaller end of said lower plate to said spacer in spaced relation with said upper plate causing said spacer to eifect stressed elevation of the center of said upper plate in relation to its periphery, anannular rim fixed in sealing relation to said upper plate at said lip with at least a portion thereof extending above said upper plate to provide for the retention of produce on said table, and drain means in said plates adjacent said rim for removing accumulated water from the top of said table. i

5. A produce table comprising a table supporting base, an upper plate of sheet material forming the top of said table, a central opening in said plate, a generally frustoconical lower supporting plate of sheet metal circumferentialiy secured to the lower side of said upper plate adjacent the periphery of said upper plate, a spacer mounted on said base and extending axially from said upper plate at said central opening to said lower plate, means securing the smaller end of said lower plate to said spacer in spaced relation with said upper plate causing said spacer to efiect stressed elevation of the center of said upper plate in relation to its periphery, a standard for the support of shelving in spaced relation to produce on said top, and means for mounting said standard to said upper plate for extension substantially normal to said top.

6. A produce table comprising an upper plate of sheet material forming the top of said table and having a circumferentially turned lip, a generally irustoconical lower supporting plate of sheet metal circumferentially secured to the lower side of said upper plate, a spacer extending axially from the underside of said upper plate through said lower plate, means securing the smaller end of said lower plate to said spacer in spaced relation with said upper plate causing said spacer to effect stressed elevation of the center of said upper plate in relation to its periphery, an annular rim fixed to said upper plate at said lip with at least a portion thereof extending above said upper plate to provide for the retention of produce on said table, a supporting post having legs arranged to hold said post in upstanding relation, means including said spacer for rotatably mounting said table on said post,

table drive means including a table drive pulley, a drive motor, and a friction clutch interposed in driving relation between said pulley and said motor to provide for the moving of said table independently of said motor.

7. A rotatable display table comprising a body including an upper plate of sheet material forming thetop of said table, a generally frustoconical lower supporting plate of sheet metal circumferentially secured to said upper plate, spacer means extending centrally from said upper plate to said lower plate and being secured to said plates with the smaller end of said lower plate in spaced relation with said upper plate and with the center of said upper plate in stressed elevation in relation to its periphery, and table support means rotatably supporting said table body at said spacer means.

8. A display table comprising a body including an upper plate of sheet material forming the top of said table, a generally frustoconical lower supporting plate of sheet metal circumferentially secured to said upper plate, spacer means extending centrally from said upper plate to said lower plate and being secured to said plates with the smaller end of said lower plate in spaced relation with said upper plate and with the center of said upper plate in stressed elevation in relation to its periphery, and a table support base supporting said table body at said spacer means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Zaninovich '...a Sept. 11, 1956 

